


Any Port in a Storm

by deathwailart



Category: Assassin's Creed, Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-21
Updated: 2013-12-21
Packaged: 2018-01-05 09:40:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1092417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deathwailart/pseuds/deathwailart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wherein Isabela and Ezio are of course friends, Varric wants more stories and Sebastian wants the ground to open up and swallow him.</p>
<p>Written for a prompt asking for an Assassin's Creed/Dragon Age crossover</p>
            </blockquote>





	Any Port in a Storm

Rivaini always knows the best people in ways she never actually gets around to explaining beyond a smirk when she purrs _if you know what I mean_. She's not like Hawke who just attracts everyone who needs a hand and has a tragic backstory and she's not like Varric who has his fingers in many, many pies to keep abreast of all a dwarf of his standing and profession should. Usually he makes it up because it's what he does, just enough true most of the time because that means people are more likely to question it as far as Hawke goes because sometimes even Varric can't believe the sort of scrapes Hawke strolls into.  
  
When this stranger strolls in, it's nothing out of the ordinary really – a slow night at the Hanged Man, Isabela at the bar, the usual drunks, Varric telling tales – that he makes a beeline for Isabela. The clothes stand out, Varric will later admit that, as white as Choir Boy's only edged in red but hell, even the belt buckle is over the top. But it's not a woman's face so that's a point in favour of the stranger sidling Isabela's way. Again, that's what invariably happens. What makes it different is that instead of telling him where to shove it, Rivaini breaks out the big smile and pounces, pulling whoever it is closer and tugging his hood back.  
  
"When did you get here?" She asks, waving for fresh drinks.  
  
"Today – I asked where I would find you."  
  
"And what brought you all the way to Kirkwall, hmm?"  
  
"You know what they say, any port in a storm."  
  
She throws her head back and laughs. "Well you're always very welcome. I have a room here."  
  
"As generous as ever, cara mia. Did I hear right though, that you were caught in a storm?"  
  
It's not like Rivaini to look away but she does, as if the walls have ears. Varric misses what she says and gets back to his audience when she leads the stranger away, up the stairs and to her own room here and Varric never finds out (not until years later when it _all_ comes out that they're discussing what she's lost, her escape, that this stranger knows all about it and more even if it's not a huge concern beyond her own safety and the uneasy atmosphere of Kirkwall.)  
  
When the stranger tags along, Varric seizes his chance. "So, Rivaini, do we get an introduction."  
  
"Ah, the famous Varric? Allow me, I am Ezio Auditore da Firenze," he grins and Isabela rolls her eyes. "I have some business here in the city and I heard a few rumours about Isabela before leaving fair Antiva."  
  
"So one of the crows huh, how many do you know Rivaini?"  
  
"He's not a crow, Zevran's the only one of them worth consorting with."  
  
"Zevran? So the stories are true, the ones about him and the Warden?"  
  
Varric has to admit, he feels a little put out, not being the storyteller here so he clears his throat. "So what are you back in Antiva?"  
  
"I was the son of a noble but the name means little in some circles and much in others. I'm seeking information on a few people and I was told I would find it here."  
  
"That's why I thought he should meet you Varric," Isabela adds with a grin and he realises that they're heading not to the docks or further into Lowtown but to Hightown and well mysterious Antivans covered in weapons that know Isabela? It's got to be good.  
  
"Well Bianca's all atwitter."  
  
"Bianca?"  
  
"Ezio, Bianca, Bianca, Ezio."  
  
Ezio gives him a look before he starts laughing so hard they have to stop and even Isabela stares at him.  
  
"I have a friend," he finally gasps, "with a sword named Bianca. He's very possessive."  
  
"Oh Varric, at last you're not alone."  
  
Varric rolls his eyes and follows them and he's guessing it's the Blooming Rose they'll be heading to but it's the Chantry. It's going to be an interesting day.  
  
\---  
  
It's an interesting day. Apparently Ezio is searching for a young woman on the run from who is likely disguised as a Sister by now so Sebastian agrees to come with them because there have been new Sisters and initiates arriving and because he knows many faces in Kirkwall from his habit of going out with charitable donations and prayer. Usually Sebastian talking about his work is dull but whatever the Sisters in Antiva get up to, it's ruffling Sebastian's feathers.  
  
"No, there are no Sisters like that! By the Maker Serah Auditore, we are sworn to be chaste."  
  
"But Andraste was flesh and blood. Sister Teodora, she believes in healing the body as much as the soul," Ezio argues with a leer.  
  
"If you know what he means," Isabela adds for the sake of making Sebastian blush an even deeper red.  
  
"Oh she left the Chantry, she has an _establishment_ ," he waggles his eyebrows and Varric is frantically making notes in his head because this is going to be a hell of story and well Hawke picked a fine time to go off on some errand with Carver, Anders and Merrill, didn't he? "But La Rosa della Virtù," (and what is it, with brothels and roses, there are plenty of other flowers out there, Varric thinks) "is truly a house of healing, perhaps more than your Chantry."  
  
"This is blasphemy!" Sebastian sounds utterly mortified and Varric almost feels sorry for him. Almost.  
  
"Andraste had a husband," Isabela adds and Sebastian covers his face with his hands.  
  
"Hey, even _I_ know the stories of Andraste and Shartan."  
  
"I can't listen to this, I need to pray. I need to pray immediately though the three of you are clearly far beyond saving!"  
  
"Oh come on Choir Boy, let's find this young lady and we'll all go back to the Hanged Man and you can beat us all at Diamondback and Wicked Grace and Ezio can tell us a few less salacious stories."  
  
As ever, Varric's words work wonders and there's a unanimous agreement as he makes a mental note to take as much parchment and ink as he can get away with.


End file.
